Ezekiel 12-15
The Rebellious
Reap Rejection
0 MIN READ
Psalm 95:1-11 Singing Sheep
Shout Aloud to the Rock of Our Salvation!
1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! 7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers put me to the test
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 10 For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways.”
11 Therefore I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter my rest.”
Application
If more people paid attention to the last half of this psalm, there would be a whole lot more of the praise and thanksgiving the first half exhorts us to do.
Prayer
Great Shepherd, thanks for creating and sustaining me, for delivering me and communicating Your ways; may I listen, and walk in them. Amen.
Proverbs 22:15 Fools Meet the Board of Education
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Application
The board of education consistently applied to the seat of knowledge removes folly.
Prayer
Lord, thanks that You care enough about me to discipline me so I will walk in wise ways; may I love my children in a similar manner. Amen.
Ezekiel 12-15 The Rebellious Reap Rejection
In these chapters Ezekiel gets on the case of the princes and prophets for failing to fear God and lead in His ways. He does a moving day skit to dramatize the upcoming exile, and devotes over a chapter to denouncing the false prophets. There is a great but misunderstood theological truth in 12:2; see if you can figure it out before you read the observations. Under Digging Deeper is a mini lesson on Hebrew verbs which helps decipher a notoriously difficult passage in 14:9 (read it in your Bible before you read the edited text). It's not just for grammar geeks, because if you want to protect yourself from false prophets/teachers, it helps to be able to click on a few links in the Online Bible or a similar program.
Ezekiel 12 Do You Will to Do His Will?
Signs of the Coming Captivity
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. 3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. 4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. 5 In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. 6 In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.” 7 And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight. 8 In the morning the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.’ 11 Say, ‘I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. 13 And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. 14 And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. 15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD.” 17 And the word of the LORD came to me: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety. 19 And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink water in dismay. In this way her land will be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the LORD.”The Presumptuous Proverb
21 And the word of the LORD came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord GOD.” 26 And the word of the LORD came to me: 27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord GOD.”Application
We can know and do what God wants, so He can bless us; the only limitation is our willingness to do so.
Prayer
Lord, I want to do Your will, knowing it's best; thanks that it is knowable, for You've revealed it in Your word, which will always be fulfilled. Amen.
Ezekiel 13 Prophecy Against The Prophets
Reproof of False Prophets
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ 3 Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. 5 You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. 6 They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. 7 Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?” 8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, 11 say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. 12 And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?’ 13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end. 14 And I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the LORD. 15 Thus will I spend my wrath upon the wall and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash, and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it, 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.Reproof of False Prophetesses
17 “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own hearts. Prophesy against them 18 and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive? 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live, by your lying to my people, who listen to lies. 20 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. 21 Your veils also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the LORD. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life, 23 therefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”Application
Protect yourself from false prophets by accurately knowing what God has said, and test every “teaching” against the truth. You can do this by getting the big picture from DailyTruthbase, and learning how to decipher difficult passages from learning How to Study the Bible like Sherlock O'lmes in the sidebar under The 7PASSAGES.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, protect me from false teachers, and give me the power and desire to master Your word, so I can save myself and others from sin and judgment. Amen.
Ezekiel 14 Deceived Prophets and Three Heros
Idolatrous Elders Condemned
1 Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2 And the word of the LORD came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? 4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. 6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. 7 For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the LORD will answer him myself. 8 And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the LORD. 9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike— 11 that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord GOD.”Four Dire Judgments
12 And the word of the LORD came to me: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, 14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD. 15 “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. 17 “Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast, 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered. 19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off from it man and beast, 20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness. 21 “For thus says the Lord GOD: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! 22 But behold, some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; behold, when they come out to you, and you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. 23 They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord GOD.”Application
God delivers the righteous when He judges iniquity; so don't focus on being more righteous than the next guy, focus on being righteous in God's sight.
Prayer
God, open my eyes to see Your truth as You've revealed it, and guide my heart to embrace it, and my hands, feet and mouth to do it. Amen.
Ezekiel 15 Useless Vine
Jerusalem the Useless Vine
1 And the word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? 3 Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? 4 Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? 5 Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! 6 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 7 And I will set my face against them. Though they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, and you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. 8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord GOD.”Application
Being useful is a good way to keep alive.
Prayer
Lord, may I be fit and useful for You, and those I serve. Amen.
Digging Deeper
Ezekiel 14:9 is another sad example of how many translators and commentators pay insufficient attention to context. Most translations indicate that if a false prophet is deceived, then God deceived him, and will destroy him. Which portrays God as an unjust monster. You don't have to be a grammar geek to follow the argument, but a little common sense will help. There are five verbs which carry the action in the verse. Clicking on Strong's numbers gives you a mini lexical and grammatical interlinear. The number in <pointy brackets> links to a lexicon and gives the range of meanings for a word. The number in (smooth brackets) links to grammatical information which spares you years of Biblical language study. The pointy brackets follow verbs, so if you missed that day in elementary school, you can find the “action words” easily (underlined below).
14:9a And if the prophet <05030> be deceived <06601> (8792)
9b when he hath spoken <01696> (8765) a thing <01697>,
9c I the LORD <03068> have deceived <06601> (8765) that prophet <05030>,
9d and I will stretch out <05186> (8804) my hand <03027> upon him,
9e and will destroy <08045> (8689) him
9f from the midst <08432> of my people <05971> Israel <03478>
The first two verbs are about the prophet, the last three about God. Clicking on the second number yields the following information:9a prophet be deceived <06601> (8792) Pual/passive 08849, Imperfect 08811, Count: 93
9b he hath spoken <01696> (8765) Piel/intensive 08840, Perfect 08816, Count: 2121
9c I have deceived <06601> (8765) Piel/intensive 08840, Perfect 08816, Count: 2121
9d I will stretch out <05186> (8804) Qal/simple active 08851, Perfect 08816, Count: 12562
9e (I) will destroy <08045> (8689) Hiphil/causative 08818, Perfect 08816, Count: 2675
Pual, Piel, Qal, and Hiphil are Hebrew stems, indicating the kind of action meant by a verb. If you click on the lexicon number, you'll find different meanings for each word categorized under the different stem, so you need to know the stem to find the correct range of meanings.
Perfect and Imperfect are the two basic moods which somewhat correlate with English past and present/future tenses, respectively. The more precise understanding is that they refer more to the kind rather than the time of the action. The Perfect views the action as completed (thus usually used for the past), and the Imperfect views the action as incomplete, (usually used for the present and future). Notice in 14:9d and 14:9e that “will stretch out” and “will destroy” are translated as future, even though they are “Perfects.” It's obvious that God hasn't already destroyed them, because He is giving a warning of what will happen. All translations correctly give the meaning as future action, even though the verb is in the Perfect mood/”tense”. Grammarians have noted a category of meaning called the “Prophetic Perfect” which views future action as already being completed; since God has indicated that it will occur, so it will.
So why isn't 14:9c translated as a “future”? It would be consistent, make much more sense, and be in line with the context of the verse, chapter, previous chapter, book, and Biblical theology, to do so. In Ezekiel 13:3, God made it clear that false prophets come up with their lies “out of their own heart”; in 13:6, He states He “has not sent them”; God is not the source of their lies (the Father of Lies usually is). The bulk of the book of Ezekiel, and the other prophets is written to warn people from incorrect thinking, valuing, and acting, so they will repent and be spared judgment. God doesn't deceive people and then destroy them for being deceived. That would be demonic. Unfortunately many have a false view of God, and promulgate it today (just like in Ezekiel's day). The far better view is to understand that:
all of God's responsive actions to the prophets' false speeches
(which are in the Perfect mood/”tense”),
are being used in this prophetic context as “Prophetic Perfects,“
to indicate future action,
viewed as having already been done.
"Deceive" comes from a root which means to be open or spacious (the noun is the naive simpleton of Proverbs 1 #06612) but in the Piel and Pual = persuade, entice to harm, allure or, by extension ensnare.
http://concordances.org/hebrew/6601.htm The purpose of deceiving or enticing is to do harm to someone (usually for personal gain). God doesn't deceive the prophets into giving false messages, but after they have delivered the false message, God will deceive/entice or ensnare them to destroy them as the rest of verse nine indicates. There is a figure of speech called deliberate ambiguity, in which a word is used twice in the same context with different meanings. So God will bring the false prophet into judgment (deceive/ensnare them) after they have deceived/ensared the people.Thus God is not the deceiver giving false information, but the One who will ensnare the deceivers who gave the false information. A little observation of the grammar and context, and a modicum of logical consistency save the day.
For those who miss the obvious and cite 1Kings 22:23 (God sending a lying spirit to Ahab's prophets), the context there is more a judgment against Ahab, than a condemnation of the false prophets deceiving the people. In Ezekiel, God doesn't deceive the prophets, because He wants His people to know His will and do it, so they can live in covenant relationship with Him.
God in a nutshell: God has purposes for His people basically justify their existence; otherwise, there is no point in them hanging around earth doing evil. God wants His people to know and do His will, and uses varied means to communicate to those who are willing to hear and obey. God particularly dislikes bad leaders and false prophets who fail to do and communicate His commands. He will deliver the righteous because of their righteousness, and destroy the unrighteous.
Us in a nutshell: We have ears for the purpose of hearing God, but if we're rebellious, and refuse to listen, we will reap devastation. We're given the freedom to reject God's care and serve idols, but will in turn be rejected by Him, and serve our enemies or be slain. We can be deceived by false prophets and suffer for it, unless we make knowing and doing God's word a priority. Our righteousness will deliver us in the day of judgment.
14:9a And if the prophet <05030> be deceived <06601> (8792)
9b when he hath spoken <01696> (8765) a thing <01697>,
9c I the LORD <03068> have deceived <06601> (8765) that prophet <05030>,
9d and I will stretch out <05186> (8804) my hand <03027> upon him,
9e and will destroy <08045> (8689) him
9f from the midst <08432> of my people <05971> Israel <03478>
The first two verbs are about the prophet, the last three about God. Clicking on the second number yields the following information:9a prophet be deceived <06601> (8792) Pual/passive 08849, Imperfect 08811, Count: 93
9b he hath spoken <01696> (8765) Piel/intensive 08840, Perfect 08816, Count: 2121
9c I have deceived <06601> (8765) Piel/intensive 08840, Perfect 08816, Count: 2121
9d I will stretch out <05186> (8804) Qal/simple active 08851, Perfect 08816, Count: 12562
9e (I) will destroy <08045> (8689) Hiphil/causative 08818, Perfect 08816, Count: 2675
Pual, Piel, Qal, and Hiphil are Hebrew stems, indicating the kind of action meant by a verb. If you click on the lexicon number, you'll find different meanings for each word categorized under the different stem, so you need to know the stem to find the correct range of meanings.
Perfect and Imperfect are the two basic moods which somewhat correlate with English past and present/future tenses, respectively. The more precise understanding is that they refer more to the kind rather than the time of the action. The Perfect views the action as completed (thus usually used for the past), and the Imperfect views the action as incomplete, (usually used for the present and future). Notice in 14:9d and 14:9e that “will stretch out” and “will destroy” are translated as future, even though they are “Perfects.” It's obvious that God hasn't already destroyed them, because He is giving a warning of what will happen. All translations correctly give the meaning as future action, even though the verb is in the Perfect mood/”tense”. Grammarians have noted a category of meaning called the “Prophetic Perfect” which views future action as already being completed; since God has indicated that it will occur, so it will.
So why isn't 14:9c translated as a “future”? It would be consistent, make much more sense, and be in line with the context of the verse, chapter, previous chapter, book, and Biblical theology, to do so. In Ezekiel 13:3, God made it clear that false prophets come up with their lies “out of their own heart”; in 13:6, He states He “has not sent them”; God is not the source of their lies (the Father of Lies usually is). The bulk of the book of Ezekiel, and the other prophets is written to warn people from incorrect thinking, valuing, and acting, so they will repent and be spared judgment. God doesn't deceive people and then destroy them for being deceived. That would be demonic. Unfortunately many have a false view of God, and promulgate it today (just like in Ezekiel's day). The far better view is to understand that:
all of God's responsive actions to the prophets' false speeches
(which are in the Perfect mood/”tense”),
are being used in this prophetic context as “Prophetic Perfects,“
to indicate future action,
viewed as having already been done.
"Deceive" comes from a root which means to be open or spacious (the noun is the naive simpleton of Proverbs 1 #06612) but in the Piel and Pual = persuade, entice to harm, allure or, by extension ensnare.
http://concordances.org/hebrew/6601.htm The purpose of deceiving or enticing is to do harm to someone (usually for personal gain). God doesn't deceive the prophets into giving false messages, but after they have delivered the false message, God will deceive/entice or ensnare them to destroy them as the rest of verse nine indicates. There is a figure of speech called deliberate ambiguity, in which a word is used twice in the same context with different meanings. So God will bring the false prophet into judgment (deceive/ensnare them) after they have deceived/ensared the people.Thus God is not the deceiver giving false information, but the One who will ensnare the deceivers who gave the false information. A little observation of the grammar and context, and a modicum of logical consistency save the day.
For those who miss the obvious and cite 1Kings 22:23 (God sending a lying spirit to Ahab's prophets), the context there is more a judgment against Ahab, than a condemnation of the false prophets deceiving the people. In Ezekiel, God doesn't deceive the prophets, because He wants His people to know His will and do it, so they can live in covenant relationship with Him.
God in a nutshell: God has purposes for His people basically justify their existence; otherwise, there is no point in them hanging around earth doing evil. God wants His people to know and do His will, and uses varied means to communicate to those who are willing to hear and obey. God particularly dislikes bad leaders and false prophets who fail to do and communicate His commands. He will deliver the righteous because of their righteousness, and destroy the unrighteous.
Us in a nutshell: We have ears for the purpose of hearing God, but if we're rebellious, and refuse to listen, we will reap devastation. We're given the freedom to reject God's care and serve idols, but will in turn be rejected by Him, and serve our enemies or be slain. We can be deceived by false prophets and suffer for it, unless we make knowing and doing God's word a priority. Our righteousness will deliver us in the day of judgment.
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